REOPENING POLICIES & PROCEDURES: PREPARING THE CHURCH

1. Only Believe Ministries will be opening the facility following CDC Guidelines to do our best to create a safe environment for the entire congregation. You will see signage around the church of recommended CDC guidelines for hand washing, social distancing, and no contact greetings.
2. We ask that all of our staff and volunteers kindly wear face masks to ensure our health and the health of those we serve. The CDC states that if you wear a mask and a person you’re with wears a mask you drop the chance of infection to less than 3%.
3. The entire facility will be sanitized to specified CDC guidelines using recommended cleaners. Taking extra caution where germs will be transferred. Including sanitizing pews, bathrooms, paper towel dispensers, sinks and faucets, doorknobs, light switches, and microphones frequently.
4. A commercial grade fogger has been purchased which kills 99.9% of germs, viruses and bacteria on contact. This will be used following every service, in addition to the sanitization methods.
5. There will be a full 24 hour wait period prior to cleaning to decrease the active viral load and protect the cleaning staff.
6. We are going to abide by CDC Guidelines for social distancing. You will see a lot of markers on the floors throughout the building. These will be used for guidelines to help show appropriate spacing for social distancing in all areas

   Why Social Distance? The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.

7. Please be mindful that the CDC recommends no shaking hands and no contact greetings.
8. If you do not have a face mask and you need one, we have sanitizer stations placed throughout the facility where you can find face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, and tissues. Please feel free to use these items often.
9. Water fountains will not be used during this time.

10. Bathrooms. Certain areas may be roped off or other barriers in place that prevent using certain sinks, stalls, and urinals. You will see signage of recommended CDC guidelines for hand washing, social distancing and no contact greetings.
11. For your safety and the safety of everyone in the building, please be mindful of the 6 ft social distancing between you and others while you are waiting in line at the restroom, or other areas.
12. We will do our best to keep doors propped open when weather permits to assist with proper ventilation.
13. When you first come to church were recommending going right into the main sanctuary to get your seat. The ushers and staff will be positioned in certain areas to assist you and help ensure proper social distancing is recognized so everyone feels comfortable.
14. While families from the same household can sit together, we would kindly encourage spacing out of other groups.
15. In the Sanctuary, you will see flagging tape designating which areas to sit in and which risers to use to help enable social distancing. We may also have some areas roped off to help us properly space out.
16. Flagging tape, as well as markers on the floor will be used to help us to direct the flow of traffic in the Sanctuary.
17. We will not be baptizing people for a period of time. We will keep everyone updated on when these can safely resume.
18. We will not be taking communion together corporately as a Church for a short period of time.
19. Children and Youth Ministries will be meeting in the Main Sanctuary for a short season.
20. If you are considered in a High Risk Category, which means if you are 65 years old or older, have COPD, Respiratory Disease, Heart Disease, Diabetes, cancer, or immune deficiencies, please take all the necessary preparations if you decide to come to Church. If you feel like you prefer to stay home, we encourage you to watch the service online. Please know we respect your decision and don’t want you feeling awkward or condemned if you can’t come for this short period of time – your safety comes first!
21. Online giving methods like text to give or online giving will be encouraged to help social distancing.
22. For a period of time, to help stay within social distancing guidelines, we will be asking anybody with prayer requests to send them into us electronically and we will be praying over them corporately as a Staff. If you have an urgent need, please kindly let us know.

23. In an effort to limit contact, we will avoid handing out bulletins, and instead project announcements on the screens. We will also be communicating a lot through our website and social media outlets.
24. Bulletins, pens, information cards, etc., from the backs of the pews will be removed temporarily to limit the spread of contamination.
25. The platform, all microphones, keyboard, IPAD’s, instruments, pulpit and all other items that anyone touches will need to be sanitized after each use.
26. For the foreseeable future we will not be having any fellowship dinners, or be serving food in any areas of the Church.
27. All volunteers including Greeters, Doorman, Security, Altar Workers, Ushers, Parking Attendants and all other volunteers will be updated on the churches policies and procedures so they in turn can share with any congregants or guests important information as they come to church.
28. Please be mindful wherever you have your meetings, to be at least 6 ft apart. You may not be able to use your normal rooms where you typically have your weekly meeting due to not being compliant with social distancing. If you cannot use your normal locations, please consider other areas so you can communicate effectively while still social distancing. Please keep doors open for proper ventilation.
29. Until further notice, Outreaches outside of the Church are postponed. We will be working to consider other ways our Church can have impact during this time while still ensuring everyone’s safety and CDC guidelines.
30. Praise and Worship practices will be before services for a period of time.
31. We will rotate the tech team as much as possible.